


Set My Body Free (Remember Me)

by joidianne4eva



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Implied Violence, M/M, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 07:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5082412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joidianne4eva/pseuds/joidianne4eva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The cart was silent, not even a whisper and it was in that moment that Anders realized that the other mages were listening to him as well.</p><p>Fenris’ eyes widened just fractionally but that was enough to let Anders see his shock. </p><p>“You would take your own life?” Fenris demanded and Anders shot him a small bitter smile. </p><p>“What is death compared to being made Tranquil?” Anders retorted, blinking away the tears in his eyes as he remembered Karl and that brand on his skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Set My Body Free (Remember Me)

**Author's Note:**

> For the Monster Fest at ushobwri. The prompt is angels.

Anders rocked as the cart did, his body swaying with the natural motion of the contraption. Around him the low moans and whispers of the other mages and slaves surrounding them had him clenching his fingers together, the move pulling the rope around his wrists tight.

Justice was a low simmer of rage in the back of his head but Anders didn’t focus on that, he didn’t focus on the cries of the children either because one look at them would lead to him losing his temper and he couldn’t let that happen…not when he was so close to achieving his goal.

They needed to find where the slavers had taken the other captives and giving them something they wanted was the only way that the group could infiltrate their operation.

“This is the longest I’ve ever seen you be silent for.”

Anders let a bitter smile tug at his lips at that because if he could depend on Fenris for one thing it was to be a distraction.

Letting his eyes flicker over his companion Anders noted the tension in Fenris’ muscles and he could only imagine how hard it was for Fenris to appear docile, bound as he was.

“There’s nothing to say and no one to say it to,” Anders pointed out, rolling his shoulders to ease the ache in them. His fingers itched for his staff, which Hawke had smuggled into the loose boards that he was sitting on but he made himself focus on Fenris because if he did that he wasn’t thinking about the other mages, the ones that had been taken before now and if he wasn’t thinking of them then he could keep his grasp on the tethers that bound Justice to his sanity.

Fenris exhaled slowly and he was close enough that Anders could feel the heat of his breath on his neck.

“Tell me of your Circle, Mage and the injustices that you’re always preaching about. Help me understand why you would place yourself in danger to eliminate this group,” Fenris coaxed and Anders shot him a cold look but there was nothing taunting in the elf’s expression.

“Why do you want to know…I mean why now? You’ve ignored me easily enough before, why the sudden interest in my motivations?” Anders queried.

Fenris shrugged as much as he could, his cool green eyes fixed on Anders’ face. “I’m not blind. I saw the way that you reacted when the slavers spoke of handing these mages to the Templars. There was fear in your eyes but it was not fear for yourself, it was for them.”

“And my fear is what made you think that maybe you should finally start listening to me?” Anders asked, a frown marring his expression when Fenris inclined his head easily.

“Men can fake many emotions but the fear in your eyes was real.”

Anders pursed his lips, twining his fingers together for a second because telling Fenris what he wanted to hear now wouldn’t change anything as far as he was concerned. Fenris hated him for what he was and no matter what Anders felt about the elf he would never allow himself to trust Fenris knowing that he opposed what Anders and Justice stood for.

But telling him couldn’t hurt.

Letting his gaze slide to the other mages huddled at the other side of the cart Anders exhaled slowly.

“There’s no need for me to be afraid of any Circle anymore,” Anders whispered, turning to face Fenris as he raised his chin so that was staring down his nose at the elf. “I don’t fear for myself because I’ll die before I go back.”

The cart was silent, not even a whisper and it was in that moment that Anders realized that the other mages were listening to him as well.

Fenris’ eyes widened just fractionally but that was enough to let Anders see his shock.

“You would take your own life?” Fenris demanded and Anders shot him a small bitter smile.

“What is death compared to being made Tranquil?” Anders retorted, blinking away the tears in his eyes as he remembered Karl and that _brand_ on his skin.

Fenris frowned at that and Anders smiled through his tears because Fenris could never understand…or maybe he could because their circumstances were so similar if only Fenris would let himself listen.

“When I was a child, the first time I displayed a hint of magic my mother told me of angels. She said that they were beings that would take me to the Maker. She gave me permission to take my life if the Templars came. As a child, I didn’t understand and I was afraid so when they came and they took me from my family I didn’t do what I promised my mother that I would. I threw away the vial of nightshade because I convinced myself that I could go home someday,” Anders whispered, clenching his fingers tight as he remembered the horrors that he’d seen. Atrocities committed against his kind in the name of peace and justice. “Had I known I would’ve drank the poison the day she’d given it to me.”

“Mage…” Fenris started but Anders just shook his head, his voice rising, no longer caring who overheard their conversation.

“People see mages without chains and they think that we’re free but we all have our chains, ours just aren’t visible but they have a name…they’re called Circles. The second that they come for you, you’re no more than a slave and I swear on my life…” Anders’ voice broke and he had to glance away from Fenris. “I swear on my life that I will not stand by and let any child suffer through what I did. “

“Mage,” Fenris whispered again and Anders wiped his tears with his bound hands as best he could before turning back to the elf.

There was something in Fenris’ eyes that Anders had never seen before, something that he couldn’t place.

“I would ask you a favour,” Fenris continued and Anders cocked a brow at that because Fenris never asked him for anything and would only accept any assistance from Anders under duress. “If you are ever captured, do not go to your angels before I have a chance to come for you.”

The words made Anders freeze, his heart thundering in his chest because this couldn’t be what he thought it was but when Fenris reached across to clutch at his hands, as best he could with their bonds in the way, Anders’ mind couldn’t do anything but hope.

“Promise me that you will wait for me,” Fenris demanded and Anders gritted his teeth, against the moisture beading his eyes.

“I will not be made Tranquil,” he whispered and Fenris bowed his head.

“I will take the heart of anyone who tries,” he promised and this time when Anders exhaled, his hope spread its wings like his mother’s angels…and soared.

 


End file.
